Emergency umbrella and the like



May 8, 1951 s. RUSKIN EIAL EMERGENCY UMBRELLA AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 15, 1948 Patented May 8, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMERGENCY UMBRELLA AND THE LIKE. Samuel Ruskin and Roy Dermack, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application December 15, 1948, Serial No. 65,322

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in emergency umbrellas, novelty shields, and similar articles.

More particularly, the invention contemplates an exceptionally inexpensive article as mentioned which is suitable for distribution among persons congregated indoors or outdoors, as at fairs, races, athletic events, theatres, indoor sports, meetings, etc. It is contemplated that the articles be suitable for sale, or as advertising premiums. They may also be sold at five and ten cent stores, or other stores, and through vending machines.

An important object of this invention is to construct the emergency umbrella, novelty shield, or other similar article so that it may be fabricated of relatively lightweight cardboard, Bristol board or similar material. The top face, or both faces, of these materials may be water-proofed, or the materials themselves may be of semi-rigid water-proof sheet material.

It is another object of this invention to make use of a covering sheet in the article which is adapted to be held overhead when the article is used as an umbrella, or to constitute the shield proper when the article is used as a novelty shield. It is proposed that this covering sheet be provided with a fold so that it may be folded to reduce the size of the article for carrying or storage purposes.

An important and dominating feature of the invention resides in a particular arrangement of the fold in the covering sheet, and a particular combination of handles for supporting the covering sheet with the fold of the covering sheet. It is contemplated that the handles be constructed of the same or similar material to the covering sheet, namely, semi-rigid sheet material. It is an object of this invention to so arrange the fold and the handles so that the handles receive compression stresses due merely to the weight of the covering sheet and take tensional stresses due to the resiliency of the. folded sheet and due to winds. This arrangement is important because semi-rigid material of light weight cannot take much compression in that it will bend, but in tension it can take much'greater loads.

It is proposed to accomplish the objects mentioned in the previous paragraph by arranging the covering sheet with a central fold which extends downwards and dividing the sheet into two leaves which tend to fold upwards towards and against each other. It is proposed that the semi-rigid handles be attached to the bottom faces of the leaves near the central fold so that the handles may be brought together and held in one hand to support said covering sheet in a substantially fiat condition in order that stresses due to the tendency of said leaves to fold upwards caused by inherent resiliency and winds, are communicated to said handles as tensional stresses.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a device as described which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a low cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an emergency umbrella or novelty shield constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged elevational View looking in the direction of the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevational view of the article in a folded condition.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged front elevational view of an emergency umbrella or novelty shield constructed in accordance with a modified form of this invention.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view looking in the direction of the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of an emergency umbrella or novelty shield embodying still another form of this invention.

The emergency umbrella, novelty shield, or the like, in accordance with that form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 14 inclusive, includes a top horizontal semi-rigid covering sheet In having a central fold II which extends downwards dividing the sheet 10 into leaves 12 and I3 which tend to fold upwards and against each other and which may be folded together as illustrated in Fig. 4, to reduce the size of the umbrella or novelty shield. A semi-rigid handle I4 is attached to the bottom face of each of said leaves l2 and I3 near said central fold ll so that the handles l4 may be brought together and held in one hand to support said covering sheet I0 is a substantially open fiat condition in order that stresses due to the tendency of said leaves to fold upwards caused by inherent resiliency of the covering sheet In and winds, are communicated to said handles [4' as tensional stresses.

Each handle 14 has a topfiange 15 attached to said covering sheet in with glue or wire stitches, V

' fold i1 is arranged parallel to the fold I I in order that stresses due to the tendency of said leaves l2 and I3 to fold upwards which are communicated to said fold I1 is distributed along the length of the fold ll. If the fold I! was at an angle to the fold ll stresses would be communicated to one end of the fold l1, and as the fold I! tore, stresses would run along the fold I1 to the other end causing the fold ll to rip completely.

The handles It are provided with openings 18 through which the fingers of the hand may be engaged.

The operation and use of the emergency umbrella or shield may be understood from the following:

Normally, when the umbrella is not in use, as

illustrated in Fig; 4, the leaves I2 and 13 are foldedupand against each other and the shank portions 16 of the handles is are also folded upwards and against the faces of the leaves 12 and l3.

7 The umbrella or shield is used by folding the leaves 12 and I3 downwards so that the sheet In is flat and then supporting the sheet It by engaging the fingers of one hand through the openings 18 of the handle 14. The umbrella may be supported over ones head for protection against rain and snow, or it may be supported in front ofa person as a novelty shield during play.

It sould be particularly noted that the handles Mare required to support the weight of the sheet l9. This weight acts as a compression force upon the handles l4. Forces due to the tendency of the sheet If to fold closed caused by the inherent resiliency of the sheet IE3, or by Winds, are communicated to the handles 14 as tensional forces. For this reason the handles 14 may be of relatively lightweight semi-rigid material.

In Figs. and 6, a modified form of the invention has been'disclosed which distinguishes from the prior form merely in the construction of the handles 2G. Each handle 22 is provided with a top flange portion 2| which is attached to the cover sheet, and a shank portion 22. These shank portions 22 are formed so that the grain of the card-' In other respects this form of the invention is identical to the previous form and like parts are identified by like reference numerals.

In Fig. '7 still another modified form of the invention is disclosed which distinguishes from the prior forms in the construction of the handle for the covering sheet. More specifically, the

covering sheet is provided with a handle 25 formed from a strip of semi-rigid material which is bent into the triangular shape shown on the drawing. The ends 26 of the strip of material forming the handle are adjacent each other at the top and are attached to each other and to the material of the covering sheet. The sides of the handle are formed with openings 2'? for the fingers of one hand to engage through. When the 'coveringsheet is folded the handle 25 will also fold.

It is pointed out that paid advertisements, or premium advertisements or decorative designs may be imprinted upon the v'arioussheet's forming the article.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise constructions herein, disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim. 7 7

Having thus described our invention,what We claim as new and desire to secure by Unitedstates so that the handles may be brought together and held in one hand to support said covering sheet in a substantially fiat condition in order that stresses due to the tendency of said leaves to fold board or other material facilitates rolling the shank portions 22 together into conical form,

. as illustrated on the drawing. The shankpordles shown in the prior-form of the invention as there are no cutout portions which would weaken' the handles. Moreover, a conical shape is a stronger structural shape than the flat shape of the handles inthe prior form of the invention: The dot and dash lines 20 indicate the handles before they are rolled into the conical shape.

upwards are communicated to said handles as tensionl stresses, each of said handles having a flange portion attached to said covering sheet,

a shank portion depending downwards from said' flange portion, and a fold between said flange and shank portions, and said last named fold being parallel to said first named fold in order that stresses due to the tendency of said leaves to'fold upwards which are communicated to "said last named folds are distributed along the lengths of l V UNITED STATES PATENTS' Number Name Date 1,692,461 McKinney Nov. 20,1928 1,715,322 Foster May 28, 1929 2,430,042 Bisbing Nov. 4, 1947 

